Combination steam-gage



2 Sheets.Sheet 1.

E. G. ALLEN.

Pressure Gage.

Patented Nov. 22, 1859.

2 Sh8BtS-S|1B6t 2. E. 'G. ALLEN.

Pressure Gage.

No. 26,152. Patented Nov 22, 1859.

I mag a /i g $4 Via: dablB= UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

E. G. ALLEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

. COMBINATION STEAM-GAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 26,152, dated November 22, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, E. G. ALLEN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented as a new and useful Article of Manufacture-a Combination Gage and Indicator-and that the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, hereinafter referred to, forms a full and exact specification of the same, wherein I have set forth the nature and principle of my improvements, by which my invention may be distinguished from all others of a similar class, together with such parts as I claim and desire to have secured to me by Letters Patent.

The figures of the accompanying plates of drawings represent my improvements.

Figure 1 Plate 1, is a view of the face of the appaartus. In Plate 2, Fig. 2 is a top view of the apparatus representing the dial plate removed. Fig. 3 is a view of one end of the counter cylinder. Fig. 4 is a side view of av portion of the same. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of same. Fig. 6 is a section taken in the plane of the line A B Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a section taken in the plane of the line C D Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of the vacuum gage apparatus taken in the plane of the line E F Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is a sectional View showing the spiral spring and rubber disk of the vacuum gage. Fig. 10 is a smilar view of the pressure gage.

In the use of large steam engines especially marine engines, have heretofore been employed pressure gages, for indicating the pressure of steam in the boiler, vacuum gages by which the amount of condensing power applied to the cylinder is regulated, a counter for registering the number of rev olutions of the propelling wheel or wheels and a clock for indicating the exact time, these all being inserted in separate cases independent of each other, supported by separate standards and each furnished with its own set of cocks, couplings, pipes &c. The very great expense of these different gages &c. which are indispensable for the use of the engineer and the cost of putting them up and especially the large space which they occupy are serious objections to their use.

The present invention consists in combining in one instrument, having but one case and one dial plate, so as to constitute a new &c. are required, thereby diminishing the cost of manufacture nearly fifty per cent, while the saving of space is a great item and moreover much greater convenience for reference is afforded to the engineer, as he has to inspect one instrument instead of several in separate localities as has heretofore been necessary.

I will now proceed to describe in detail the construction of the pressure, and vacuum gages and counter.

A A represents the case or box in which the pressure gage B, vacuum gages C and D, counter E, and the clock F are placed.

Gr represents the top plate or main dial or face upon which the graduated circles or dial plates of the respective gages B, C, and D are marked or secured in any proper manner, and also the face or dial of the clock F. The top plate G has also openings H H by which the figures of the counter cylinder can be read at pleasure.

The pressure gage B, is constructed in the following manner. Z) 7) is a volute spring, Fig. 10, placed in two box couplings c and (Z. These couplings are firmly screwed together, a shoulder e of the coupling (Z being thus brought to bear upon the outer coil of the spring and holding it rigidly so as to prevent any play or friction between the spring and the box couplings, while at the same time the remaining portions of the spring are left perfectly free to act. The volute spring I) b is of peculiar shape, as it has an increasing taper both from its center and its outer circumference. By giving the spring this peculiar shape, it will receive at all times very nearly the same degree of play or movement from a stated number of pounds pressure at whatever degree of compression of the spring the addition of the said number of pounds pressure be applied. The outer coil of the spring 6 being held by the shoulder e of the coupling (Z, the inner or smallest coil being fastened to a central short shaft or piston f. Steam is admitted to the spring Z) I) through the tube 9 which is attached to the box coupling 0 and in order that the pressure of the steam may be exerted equally upon all parts of the spring Z) 6 a disk or diaphragm of rubber h or other suitable elastic material Fig. 10 is inserted between and held by the two box couplings and thereby increasing or diminishing the lever power brought to bear upon the indicator 9" Fig. 1. The end of the sector shaped arm n terminates in a geared are 8 that engages with apinion t retracted by a coiled spring a. The pinion t is attached to the spindle w, upon which is fastened the inclicator 1". It will be seen from this description that the movement of the volute spring 6 Z) is imparted to the indicator 1" through the levers i i and n, thereby indicating the exact pressure of the steam upon the spring Z) Z). The vacuum gages C and D are constructed in a manner precisely similar with the exception that the volute spring and rubber disk or diaphragm are necessarily reversed in position; the pipes at and 1 being the connections.

The recording of the revolutions of the propelling wheels, is effected by means of a counter, the operation of which will now be explained. a a is a longitudinal shaft upon which the sectional disks 5, 0, d, e, f and 9 turn with an intermittent rotary motion. These sectional disks are divided into ten equal parts, indicated by figures from 0 to 9 inclusive. The disk 1) upon each revolution of the propelling wheel is moved one notch at a time by means of a pawl h which engages with the teeth 2" of the disk j, the pawl it having attached to it a friction roller is that moves over a circular plate Z; the pawl it has a reciprocating rotary motion given to it by devices connected with the shaft which connects with the paddle wheel; the friction roller 70' being kept up to the circular plate Z by means of a spring m which also causes the pawl h to spring back when the sectional disk I) has revolved one notch, so that it may be ready again to engage with the teeth 71 of the disk 7" and to revolve the disk I) one more notch upon the next revolution of the paddle or propelling wheels. This operation takes place with the sectional disk Z) until it has turned nine of the notches, when one end of a shaft n attached to a cam 0 is made to engage with a tooth p of the next disk 0, by means of a wheel 9 attached to the other end of the shaft 10. which, when the sectional disk b has revolved the nine notches, as above stated, travels over the projection 7" attached to the bottom plate .9 of the stand of the counter gage. Upon the next revolution of the paddle wheelthe sectional disk 0 is revolved one notch in conjunction with the disk Z) by means of the rod a which is interlocked with it as above described; the rod a is then disengaged from the disk 0 by means of a spring a attached to the rod a, which causes the rod n to be so disengaged from the tooth p of the disk 0, when the wheel 9 has passed over the projection r of the bottom plate .9. The disk 6 only, is then revolved nine notches, when the same operation takes place with regard to the disk 0 as has been above described and causes it to move one more notch. These operations take place with regard to the two disks 6 and 0, until the sectional disk 0 has itself revolved nine notches, when the next disk cl is revolved in conjunction with the two disks ?2' and 0 one notch, by means of similar devices as have been herein before described. It will be evident without further explanation, that the same movements will be successively received by the remaining disks 0 f and g.

The spiral spring a attached to a standard 'w in conjunction with the wheel m having its axis in the standard 10 and the circular opening 3 in the periphery of one side of the sectional disks 6 c, d, e, f, and g serve to retain and to hold the said disks firmly in their places, when they are not in motion.

The working parts of the clock F need not be particularly described as they are precisely similar to those of ordinary clocks in use.

I claim The combination and arrangement of the several instruments requisite to enable the engineer to regulate the proper working of steam machinery, substantially as herein set forth, the said instruments being inserted in one case and having the hands or other indicators upon one face or dial plate in the.

manner and for the purposes specified.

E. G. ALLEN.

lVitncsses:

Ron'r. L. HARRIS, ALBERT BROWN. 

